The invention relates to a semi-permanent identification medium and a dispensing mechanism being placed in/on or made an integral part of precision, guided, integrally propelled or freefall and direct fire anti-armor munitions, such that upon the munitions impacting and thus "killing/destroying" an enemy vehicle, the semi-permanent, identification medium is applied to the vehicle. Because of the applied identification material, the "killed/destroyed" threat armored vehicle is able to be quickly and easily recognized by engaged and succeeding combat crews as being "killed/destroyed" and thus no longer a threat and that no further munitions need be expended at the "destroyed target".
Since the advent of armored vehicles on the battlefield in World War I, there have been two continued, parallel military efforts. One has been to improve the armored vehicle and the other has been to find newer and better methods to defeat the armored vehicle. The tank and other armored vehicles have improved in quality and engineering sophistication, so that the traditional, bullet type, solid shot, is no longer adequate to defeat armor. It now takes specific, costly, and technologically unique weaponry. The method of defeating modern armor has changed. Previously, solid shot and explosive weapons destroyed the armored vehicle by blast or mechanical force to sunder it to pieces. Current anti-armor munitions use shaped charges or specifically shaped solid projectiles (especially flechettes) that pierce the armored vehicle and render it immobile by destroying sensitive vehicle components or killing the crews. Occasionally these projectiles cause complete or catastrophic destruction of an armored vehicle by igniting the internally carried ammunition or fuel. Most times, however, the armored vehicle, though destroyed or combat immobilized, appears, without close-up inspection or extended observation, unscathed.
Anti-armor warfare has evolved from the practice of defeating enemy armor by massed fire or bombing, to one, while not excluding massed fire and bombing, of using precision munitions to destroy individual vehicles, frequently at distances previously not practical. Wide ranging attack helicopters, fixed wing aircraft carrying smart anti-armor munitions, artillery firing smart munitions and friendly armored thrusts, have combined to give modern battlefields breadth and depth, unimaginable but a few years ago. The high probability of kill (PK) combined with the continuing evolution of anti-armor munitions into smaller and smaller weapons has made light forces (attack helicopters, wheeled vehicles--such as anti-armor missile carrying jeeps and light trucks) and even individual infantry men so armed, into potent anti-armor forces.
The enlarged field of combat, and fluid, high intensity nature of armored conflict, means that significant numbers of "killed/destroyed" enemy armor will be encountered, by friendly forces, numerous times. Distinguishing active threats from neutralized armored vehicles assumes increased import, especially when multiple enemy armored vehicles, all of the same appearance, are encountered. Survivability of friendly crews will often depend upon their ability to quickly distinguish and engage active enemy as opposed to engaging those that appear active but have in fact been previously destroyed.
The lethality due to the high PK of extant and planned precision guided weapons and direct fire anti-armor munitions is such that they frequently impact and "kill/destroy" modern armored vehicles without causing apparent damage or obvious destruction of these vehicles. In fact, the impact signature of precision direct rounds is frequently so small that in the Southwest Asia Conflict, Desert Storm, tank gunners were known to fire a second round at an enemy armored vehicle, before the first round struck, because they did not see the small impact signature of the first round until after they fired a second round. The gunners were not looking for destruction of the armored vehicle, but for the small signature of their munitions impact. Because the destruction is not apparent or catastrophic (and frequently not recognizable without close-up inspection), "killed/destroyed" threat armored vehicles appear as viable enemy and are "killed/destroyed" multiple times. Post conflict examination of "killed" armored vehicles, from the 1973 Arab/Israeli conflict as well as the recent Desert Storm experience, provide compelling evidence that armored vehicles are shot and hit multiple times after being "killed/destroyed".
The invention will provide gunner's, including the original, both during an immediate engagement and in succeeding encounters, with specific means of identifying which enemy vehicles have been "hit" as opposed to those which are still active threats. This ability will improve friendly gunner situational awareness, active threat identification (i.e. those not displaying identification material and more probably still capable of hostile actions), combat efficiency/effectiveness and reduce friendly casualties.
For succeeding gunner's, easy, obvious identification of "destroyed/killed" enemy vehicles will, especially in combat scenarios involving possible multiple enemy armored vehicles, provide increased probability of engaging enemy vehicles that are active threats, decrease munitions expenditures, make those rounds expended more effective, reduce exposure to active threats through not engaging non-threats, improve combat effectiveness and efficiency of friendly forces and reduce combat duration through more effective application of anti-armor munitions.
It is known from the prior art that dye marker material has been used in conjunction with missiles for marking targets. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,463, issued Apr. 27, 1982 is directed to a dye marker assembly for a rocket practice round. The inert training round utilizes a frangible nose cone (instead of an active warhead) to impact a target. Upon impact the nose cone does not penetrate or destroy the target but ruptures to release a dye marker for creating a dye cloud visible within a range of 3000 meters to indicate to the pilot/gunner the accuracy of his aim.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,164 issued Apr. 23, 1991 is directed to a non-penetrating projectile which stains a target upon impact. The projectile is provided with means for changing its shape on impact to reduce the danger of penetration into a target such as a human. The device is used to disperse a crowd and to mark the individuals of the crowd as an aid in subsequent identification of involved persons.
Some other patents relating to missiles employing target marking means are: U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,228, issued Jan. 23, 1973, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,106 issued May 15, 1984.
None of the above patents disclose a missile having the combination of an active warhead and target identification means carried by the missile to a target so that upon impact of the warhead with the target, the target is "killed" (although it may not be totally visibly destroyed) and marked by the identification means to instantaneously and thereafter provide a means of identifying the "killed" target.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a means for identification of a target responsive to impact therewith by a warhead of a missile.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a missile with the identification means as a discrete element of the missile structure which is separate and distinct from the warhead.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, drawings and claims.
The term "warhead" as used herein refers to that portion of the missile which impacts with the target to "kill" the target. The "warhead" may be an armor piercing warhead which penetrates the target to damage internal components of the target and thus effectively "kill" the target. Or, the warhead may contain an explosive which, upon impact, effectively "kills" the target.